Mystery At Sea: A WWII Captain America Adventure
by kalel21
Summary: Captain America sails aboard a tramp steamer on the Pacific Ocean as he attempts to track down and capture a Nazi spy.
1. Chapter 1

October, 1939:

The tramp steamer "Burroughs," flying the Dutch flag, plowed through the calm South China Sea, a hot sun burning down on the deck. Steve Rogers stood at the railing, looking out over the water and contemplating his situation.

He'd been tailing the Nazi spy named Dieter through the streets of Singapore for nearly a week. He knew that Dieter would be meeting his contact soon, picking up a microfilm containing information on British and French troop deployments that would be very valuable to the Axis powers. Rogers had been tempted to move in on Dieter—take him down and turn him into Military Intelligence. But Dieter was small fry—really nothing more than a courier. It was his contact that Rogers really needed to get his hands on. That was the only way to recover the stolen microfilm.

Late this morning, Dieter had suddenly bolted for the docks at Singapore and had booked last-minute passage on the "Burroughs", bound for Manila and then San Francisco. Rogers had only just barely managed to get on board himself, posing as a photojournalist. His costume and shield, not yet needed on this mission, were hidden in his luggage.

Was Dieter's contact one of the other passengers? It seemed likely. There was a Frenchman named Lasalle, a thin, grizzled man with bloodshot eyes, who claimed to be a wine merchant. An Arab named Abdullah, tall and muscular, given to wearing white suits. Abdullah specialized in capturing wild beasts, which he sold to zoos and circuses. The orangutan and the two tigers in the cages lashed to the main deck were Abdullah's cargo.

Finally, there was the woman named Stiletto. Tall, with hair the color of smoke and a body that curled up to meet it, she spoke with a slight Eastern European accent. In casual conversation with Captain de Groote, though, Rogers has learned she traveled with an English passport. No one knew her business and she kept largely to her cabin.

But it seemed that identifying the spy's contact was not his only problem. The crew of the Burroughs consisted of equal parts of Arab and Chinese sailors. The two factions hated each other and on several occasions the Dutch officers had to step in to stop fights between them. For several nights now, Rogers had noted that one of the junior Dutch officers, a young fellow with a scarred face named Von Hoorst, was meeting quietly with several of the Arab crewmen who worked in the engine room. The meetings always took place at the stern, with the men crouched under one of the life boats. Rogers didn't know what it was about, but he'd bet his shield that they were up to something nefarious.

So a decision had to be made. Rogers' main mission was identifying the contact and recovering the microfilm. But if something criminal was going on involving Van Hoorst, then innocent lives might be at risk. It was also possible that Van Hoorst was somehow involved in the spy ring. Rogers sighed. He just didn't have enough information to go on.


	2. Chapter 2

Van Hoorst, wasn't an easy man with whom to strike up a conversation. Steve approached him that evening, offered to buy him a drink in the steamer's small, greasy saloon. But Van Hoorst simply shook his head and crisply replied "It is my policy not to mingle with the passengers."

"Oh, we're not such a bad lot," said Steve.

"It has nothing to do with good or bad," snapped the Dutchman. "It is simply a matter of professionalism." He almost unconsciously lifted a hand to touch his scarred face. "There are those who do not value professionalism and there is a price to be paid for such attitudes. Someday…" His voice drifted off and he stared out at the setting sun. "Someday soon…."

"Someday?" prompted Steve.

Van Hoorst shook his head. "Nothing. Good day!" He spun on his heels and climbed down a hatch.

Steve walked along the rail towards the bow. Something was going on with that bitter young man. But did it connect with his mission?

Suddenly, someone near the bow shouted-a sound of anger and fear. Another fight between crewmembers probably. Not knowing if an officer was nearby to break it up, Steve jogged towards the sound.

It was indeed a fight. An Arab and a Chinese squared off against each other, both holding knives at the ready. Steve acted instinctively. He leaped forward, chopping his hand down and knocking the Arab's knife to the deck. A spin quick disarmed the Chinese a moment later.

The Arab yelled in incoherent anger and dived forward, catching Steve around the waist and carrying him to the deck. Steve rolled as he fell, using the momentum to through the Arab off of him, slamming the angry sailor into the side of a winch.

"Stop that this instant!" Captain de Groote's voice cut through the air. He was marching towards the scene, his face dark with anger. Two more of the ship's officers followed.

The Chinese and the bruised Arab stepped away, both looking chagrined. De Groote brought them both to attention and began a verbal dressing down as only an experienced sailor can give.

Steve stood nearby and listened in admiration, but couldn't help feeling that he was wasting time. There were so many bits of information that did not quite tie together. The German spy Dieter was on board, almost certainly to meet his contact and get the stolen microfilm. The contact was almost certainly one of the other passengers, but which one? The Chinese and Arab factions of the crew hated each other and the situation seemed about to explode in violence. Van Hoorst, the young officer, was holding secret night-time meetings with some of the Arabs. The whole situation dripped with a sense of immediate danger, but Steve had yet to sort out the good guys from the bad guys.

Captain de Groote's verbal tirade was suddenly interrupted when another officer came running up. Steve mentally noted that four of the ship's seven officers were now congregated at the bow of the ship.

"Captain!" shouted the newcomer. "Sir, your cabin has been broken into! The arms locker has been emptied! All the weapons are gone, sir!"

Steve winced inwardly. Nothing in life is ever easy.


End file.
